When small businesses search for design solutions, they often encounter 99designs as a popular contest-based platform. However, 99designs is popular but expensive – contest-based pricing can add up quickly, especially for small businesses and startups. This comprehensive guide explores the Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses, examining platforms that offer graphic design, branding, UI/UX design, motion graphics, video production, and website development services—the core creative agency offerings that growing companies need most.
Understanding 99designs: What You’re Actually Getting
Before exploring Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses, it’s important to understand what 99designs offers. Branded as the world’s leading design contest marketplace, 99designs helps businesses, freelance graphics designers, and even large studios, connect with each other, establish relationships, and do business. The service leverages a design contest approach where businesses provide their specifications and requirements for a graphic design, such as a logo, letterhead, moniker, artwork, etc., and designers from all over the world submit their work.
The bronze tier costs $199 for business card design, but $299 for a magazine cover. A contest means that you open your brief up to the 99designs design community, and numerous designers submit their ideas. You get to choose your favorite design to own and use, for the set price of the contest package. For illustration contests, the prices were as follows: Bronze ($349), Silver ($549), Gold ($899), and Platinum ($1399).
The process takes time: Design contests work over several rounds, with a total of 7 days in the qualifying round and final round where designers can submit and refine designs. Additionally, as a client, you’ll also have a flat 5% platform fee: The platform fee covers the cost of payment processing, marketplace protection, customer support, access to a curated designer community and the ongoing development of the platform.
Why Small Businesses Seek Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses
While 99designs has its merits, several factors drive small businesses to explore alternatives:
- Unpredictable quality: Even if you select a winner, design contests don’t guarantee that the design won’t meet your expectations or requirements. Businesses and teams often spend large portions of budgets on a design contest only to find that the selected graphic designer didn’t deliver up to the mark even after the final edits.
- Time-consuming process: Contests could take up to a month to finalize, which doesn’t align with fast-paced business needs.
- Limited scope: 99designs focuses primarily on graphic design contests and doesn’t offer comprehensive services like CRO, UX research, or AI implementation that modern businesses increasingly need.
- Cost accumulation: Using 99designs for all of these products get expensive fast when businesses need multiple design types regularly.
Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses: Comprehensive Comparison
1. Passionate Agency – Passionates (Subscription-Based Full-Service Agency)
For small businesses seeking a comprehensive alternative to 99designs’ single-project approach, Passionate Agency – Passionates offers an unlimited subscription model that covers design, development, optimization, and AI services under one roof.
Services Covered: Graphic design, branding, website design, UI/UX design, motion graphics, video production, 3D/AR/WebXR, WordPress/Webflow/Shopify development, UX research, CRO, A/B testing, AI implementation, and automation.
Pricing Structure:
- Grow tier: $8,000/month (full-time) or $5,000/month (part-time) for design, video, and web development
- Optimize tier: $10,000/month (full-time) or $6,000/month (part-time) adds UX research and CRO services
- Innovate tier: $12,500/month (full-time) or $7,250/month (part-time) adds AI engineering and automation
- Hourly packages: $199/hour for maintenance and one-off tasks
Team Composition: Dedicated project manager coordinating senior specialists (top 0.5% talent with 5+ years experience) across all disciplines.
Delivery Speed: 1-3 working days per request with unlimited revisions.
Best For: CMOs needing strategic design partners, UX Directors requiring conversion optimization, founders building comprehensive brand systems, Digital Transformation Directors implementing AI, E-commerce Managers optimizing revenue, Product Managers validating features, and Growth Marketing Directors running rapid experiments.
Key Advantages: Unlike 99designs’ contest model where you wait 7+ days for submissions, Passionates provides predictable monthly costs, rapid delivery, 360° skill coverage, and the ability to stack multiple resources for higher volume. The subscription includes everything from brand strategy to AI chatbots—services far beyond 99designs’ scope.
2. Designhill (Contest + Marketplace Hybrid)
Designhill operates similarly to 99designs but typically at lower price points, making it one of the most frequently mentioned Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses.
Services Covered: Graphic design, logo design, website design, packaging design, and various print materials through contests or direct hire.
Pricing Structure: Designhill also features One to One Design Projects, where you can set your own price with a 5% Designhill fixed commission, and Design Contests ranging in price from $249.00 to $999.00 per contest for logo design. They also offer a cloud-based on-demand graphic design service starting at $399/month for unlimited requests.
Project Duration: For all design categories, the contest will usually run from anything between 24 hours to 10 days depending on what you time duration you choose while posting the contest.
Team Composition: Access to over 150,000 designers worldwide; contest model means multiple designers submit, or you can hire one designer directly.
Best For: Small businesses wanting contest-style options at lower costs than 99designs, or those needing basic graphic design on a subscription basis.
Limitations: Like 99designs, the contest model can be time-consuming and quality varies. The unlimited subscription at $399/month covers only graphic design—no web development, CRO, or advanced services.
3. Fiverr & Fiverr Pro (Freelance Marketplace)
Fiverr offers a vast marketplace of individual freelancers at various price points, with Fiverr Pro providing access to vetted professionals.
Services Covered: Graphic design, logo creation, website design, video editing, motion graphics, and virtually any creative service through individual freelancers.
Pricing Structure: Graphic designers, on average, charge $60 per hour, though Fiverr supports both fixed-price gigs and hourly billing, with costs varying based on the freelancer’s expertise, service complexity, and delivery time. Fiverr charges a 5.5% fee on every transaction, not just the initial order. That includes Gig extras added mid-order and even tips sent post-delivery.
Project Duration: Varies by freelancer and project; can range from 24 hours to several weeks.
Team Composition: Individual freelancers; you manage each relationship separately.
Best For: Small businesses often depends on budget and project needs: Fiverr is ideal for quick, affordable design projects like logos or social media graphics.
Limitations: Quality varies significantly; no unified team or project management; you coordinate multiple freelancers for different services; no integrated CRO, UX research, or AI capabilities.
4. Design Pickle (Unlimited Graphic Design Subscription)
Design Pickle pioneered the unlimited graphic design subscription model and remains a popular choice among Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses.
Services Covered: Graphic design, custom illustrations, presentation design, motion graphics, and video editing (higher tiers).
Pricing Structure: Design Pickle has 2 pricing editions, from $1,918 to $2,098 per month. More specifically, Design Pickle offers three subscription plans with upfront pricing: Graphics, Pro, and Premium for $649, $1,294, and $1,949 per month, respectively for each plan. There’s also a custom Power plan for larger teams.
Project Duration: The turnaround time is 24 to 48 hours for standard requests.
Team Composition: The Graphics plan does not support a designated designer for your project. Most of the time different designers can also mean a visible lack of consistency in your designs. Higher tiers provide dedicated designers.
Best For: Marketing teams and agencies needing a steady stream of graphic design assets without per-project costs.
Limitations: Design Pickle offers 55 design services in all plans. Some of those designs aren’t available on the upper tiers. Additionally, they don’t provide complex web and app designs. No CRO, UX research, or AI services. Significantly more expensive than competitors for graphic-only services.
5. Upwork (Freelance Platform)
Upwork provides access to a global network of freelancers across virtually every creative discipline.
Services Covered: Graphic design, web design, UI/UX design, video production, development, and more through individual freelancers.
Pricing Structure: The median hourly rate for Graphic Designers is $25. Hourly rates for Graphic Designers on Upwork typically range between $15 and $35. For web designers, the median hourly rate for Web Designers is $21. Hourly rates for Web Designers on Upwork typically range between $15 and $30. The fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract for freelancers, and when you hire on Upwork, you pay a 3 or 5% Marketplace fee on all payments that you make to freelancers.
Project Duration: Varies by freelancer and project scope; hourly or fixed-price contracts available.
Team Composition: Individual freelancers; clients manage all coordination and quality control.
Best For: Freelancer and Upwork give you more flexibility with hourly or project-based hires, suitable for businesses comfortable managing freelancers directly.
Limitations: No unified service delivery; time-intensive vetting and management; quality varies; no integrated project management, CRO, or AI services.
6. ManyPixels (Unlimited Design Subscription)
ManyPixels offers unlimited graphic and web design services on a subscription basis.
Services Covered: Various design subscription services, including unlimited graphic design and web design services.
Pricing Structure: Pricing starts at $549 per month with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Project Duration: The turnaround time is 1 to 2 business days.
Team Composition: Typically handles one task at a time.
Best For: Small businesses needing both graphic and basic web design support at an affordable monthly rate.
Limitations: One task at a time may not meet high-volume needs; no CRO, UX research, or AI capabilities; limited to design services.
7. DesignCrowd (Crowdsourcing Platform)
DesignCrowd operates similarly to 99designs with a contest-based model but with a larger designer pool.
Services Covered: Logo design, web design, packaging design, and various graphic design categories through contests.
Pricing Structure: It’s free to create a profile and it costs between $69.00 and $779.00 to post a design project. This depends on the design service and your selected package.
Project Duration: Similar to 99designs, contests typically run 7-14 days.
Team Composition: Multiple designers submit to contests; you select a winner.
Best For: DesignCrowd tends to be more affordable than 99designs, making it a good option for small businesses or startups.
Limitations: Contest format can lead to inconsistent quality, with the winning design not always being the best fit. Can be time-consuming to run contests and provide feedback. No development, CRO, or AI services.
Key Decision Factors When Evaluating Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses
Budget Predictability vs. Project-Based Pricing
One of the most significant differences among Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses is pricing structure. Contest platforms like 99designs, Designhill, and DesignCrowd charge per project, which can accumulate quickly. A small business needing a logo ($349-$899), website design ($599+), social media graphics, and marketing materials could easily spend $3,000-$5,000 monthly with unpredictable results.
Subscription services like Passionate Agency, Design Pickle, and ManyPixels offer predictable monthly costs with unlimited requests. For businesses with ongoing design needs, subscriptions often deliver better value and eliminate budget surprises.
Scope of Services: Design-Only vs. Full-Service
Most Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses focus exclusively on graphic design. However, modern small businesses often need integrated services:
- CMOs and Marketing Directors need strategic branding, web development, and conversion optimization working together
- UX Directors and E-commerce Managers require A/B testing, analytics, and iterative optimization—not just visual design
- Digital Transformation Directors need AI implementation and automation alongside design
- Product Managers require UX research to validate features before development
- Growth Marketing Directors need rapid experimentation across design, landing pages, and funnel optimization
Only comprehensive agencies like Passionate Agency offer this full spectrum under one subscription, eliminating the need to coordinate multiple vendors.
Speed and Agility
Contest-based platforms require 7-14 days minimum per project. Freelance marketplaces depend on individual availability. For businesses running growth experiments or responding to market opportunities, this timeline doesn’t work.
Subscription services typically deliver within 1-3 days, enabling rapid iteration. This speed advantage becomes critical for Growth Marketing Directors running 20+ monthly experiments or E-commerce Managers optimizing seasonal campaigns.
Quality Consistency and Team Integration
Contest platforms and freelance marketplaces provide access to talent but no guaranteed consistency. Each project may involve different designers with different styles, creating brand fragmentation.
Subscription services with dedicated teams or project managers ensure brand consistency and develop deep understanding of your business over time. This continuity proves invaluable for maintaining cohesive brand experiences across touchpoints.
Strategic Capability vs. Execution-Only
Most Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses focus on execution: you provide a brief, they deliver designs. However, senior decision-makers often need strategic partners who can:
- Recommend CRO hypotheses based on analytics
- Conduct UX research to validate product decisions
- Design A/B tests that yield statistically significant insights
- Implement AI personalization to improve conversion
- Develop comprehensive design systems that scale
These strategic capabilities separate basic design services from true agency partnerships.
Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses: Service Comparison Matrix
| Service | Graphic Design | Branding | UI/UX | Motion/Video | Web Dev | CRO/UX Research | AI/Automation | Pricing Model | Typical Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99designs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | $199-$1,299 per contest | 7-14 days |
| Passionate Agency | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $5,000-$12,500/month subscription | 1-3 days |
| Designhill | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | $249-$999 per contest or $399/month unlimited | 1-10 days |
| Fiverr/Fiverr Pro | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | Limited | Variable per freelancer + 5.5% fee | Variable |
| Design Pickle | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✓ (Premium) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | $649-$1,949/month subscription | 24-48 hours |
| Upwork | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $15-$35/hour + 3-5% client fee | Variable |
| ManyPixels | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | Basic | ✗ | ✗ | $549+/month subscription | 1-2 days |
| DesignCrowd | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | $69-$779 per contest | 7-14 days |
Persona-Specific Recommendations: Which Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses Fit Your Role?
For Chief Marketing Officers and Marketing Directors
If you’re struggling to differentiate your brand in a crowded market and frustrated with the lack of cohesion between marketing and design efforts, you need more than a design contest platform. You need a strategic partner that understands both B2B and B2C marketing dynamics.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Optimize or Innovate tiers provide the comprehensive capabilities you need—strategic branding, conversion-optimized web design, A/B testing, and analytics integration. Unlike 99designs’ project-by-project approach, a subscription model gives you the agility to test messaging, iterate quickly, and maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints.
Avoid: Contest platforms and freelance marketplaces that require you to manage multiple vendors and can’t provide the strategic thinking or data-driven insights your role demands.
For UX Directors
If you’re dissatisfied with current conversion rates and struggling to balance aesthetics with functionality, you need partners who can dive deep into analytics and create designs that significantly boost conversion metrics.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Optimize tier combines UX research, CRO expertise, and design execution with 1-3 day delivery that keeps pace with agile development cycles. This integrated approach ensures designs aren’t just beautiful but measurably effective.
Avoid: Design-only services that can’t conduct UX research, analyze user behavior, or implement sophisticated A/B testing programs.
For Startup Founders
If you’re building a B2B SaaS startup and need to establish a strong brand identity while managing costs, you’re weighing the expense of comprehensive rebranding against the risk of inconsistent DIY efforts.
Best Options: For founders comfortable with longer timelines and wanting multiple concepts, Designhill’s contest model at $249-$499 offers budget-friendly exploration. For founders needing ongoing design support and faster iteration, ManyPixels at $549/month or Passionate Agency’s part-time Grow tier at $5,000/month (which includes web development and motion graphics) provide better long-term value.
Avoid: Expensive per-project agencies or Design Pickle’s $1,918+/month pricing when you need more than just graphic design.
For Digital Transformation Directors
If you’re tasked with modernizing customer interactions and implementing AI solutions that create personalized experiences, you need partners with both technical expertise and business acumen.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Innovate tier uniquely combines design, development, CRO, and AI implementation—delivering custom AI agents, chatbots, personalization engines, and workflow automation alongside the creative services. This integrated approach ensures AI solutions enhance rather than fragment customer experiences.
Avoid: Design-only platforms that can’t implement the technical infrastructure your digital transformation requires, or freelance marketplaces where you must coordinate separate design, development, and AI specialists.
For E-commerce Managers
If you’re frustrated with low conversion rates and cart abandonment, you need partners who understand e-commerce-specific conversion factors and can seamlessly integrate with your Shopify, WooCommerce, or other platforms.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Optimize tier provides the UX research, CRO expertise, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and rapid iteration you need to unlock hidden revenue. The 1-3 day delivery enables you to test hypotheses quickly during peak seasons.
Avoid: Contest platforms with week-long timelines that can’t respond to seasonal opportunities, or design services without e-commerce platform expertise.
For Product Managers
If you’re struggling to balance feature development priorities with delivering intuitive user experiences and making decisions without sufficient validation, you need UX research and experimentation capabilities.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Optimize tier provides the UX research, user testing, and rapid prototyping that inform product roadmap decisions. The subscription model allows you to validate multiple concepts monthly without per-project budget negotiations.
Avoid: Design services that execute briefs without conducting user research or validating assumptions with data.
For Growth Marketing Directors
If you’re running 20+ experiments monthly and frustrated with slow creative turnaround that bottlenecks your testing velocity, you need partners who move at growth speed.
Best Options: Passionate Agency’s Optimize or Innovate tiers with stackable resources provide the 1-3 day turnaround and integrated CRO expertise your experimentation program demands. The ability to add multiple full-time resources ensures you can scale capacity during intensive testing periods.
Avoid: Contest platforms with week-long timelines, or services that can’t maintain brand consistency across rapid experimentation.
Cost Analysis: True Price of Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses
When evaluating Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses, consider total cost of ownership over 12 months for a typical small business needing:
- Brand identity development
- Website design and development
- Ongoing social media graphics (4 per week)
- Marketing collateral (monthly)
- Email templates (monthly)
- Landing page variations (for testing)
99designs Contest Model: Logo contest ($549) + Website contest ($599) + 48 social graphics contests at $199 each ($9,552) + 12 marketing collateral contests ($2,388) = $13,088 annually (not including web development, which 99designs doesn’t offer)
Designhill Subscription: $399/month × 12 = $4,788 annually (graphic design only; website development separate)
Design Pickle Graphics Plan: $649/month × 12 = $7,788 annually (graphic design only; website development separate)
ManyPixels: $549/month × 12 = $6,588 annually (includes basic web design)
Passionate Agency Grow (Part-Time): $5,000/month × 12 = $60,000 annually (includes design, video, AND full web development with senior specialists)
Passionate Agency Grow (Full-Time): $8,000/month × 12 = $96,000 annually (includes design, video, AND full web development with senior specialists and faster delivery)
While Passionate Agency appears more expensive upfront, consider the value equation: you receive not just graphic design but full web development, motion graphics, video production, and access to senior specialists (5+ years experience) rather than mixed-skill designers. For businesses needing these integrated services, Passionate Agency often costs less than hiring separate vendors for design ($4,788-$7,788), web development ($30,000-$50,000 annually for ongoing work), and video production ($10,000-$20,000 annually).
Making the Right Choice Among Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses
The best alternative to 99designs depends on your specific situation:
Choose contest platforms (Designhill, DesignCrowd) if you:
- Have one-off projects with flexible timelines
- Want to see multiple design directions before committing
- Have limited ongoing design needs (less than 5 requests monthly)
- Can manage the contest process and provide detailed feedback
Choose budget subscription services (ManyPixels, Designhill subscription) if you:
- Need consistent graphic design output
- Have tight budgets (under $1,000/month)
- Don’t require web development, CRO, or advanced services
- Can work with one task at a time
Choose freelance marketplaces (Fiverr, Upwork) if you:
- Have specific, well-defined projects
- Have time and expertise to vet and manage freelancers
- Need specialized skills for particular projects
- Prefer project-based rather than subscription pricing
Choose comprehensive subscription agencies (Passionate Agency) if you:
- Need integrated design, development, CRO, and/or AI services
- Require strategic thinking beyond execution
- Value rapid delivery (1-3 days) and unlimited revisions
- Want senior-level talent (5+ years experience) consistently
- Need to scale resources up or down based on demand
- Prefer predictable monthly costs over variable project fees
Conclusion: Beyond 99designs for Small Business Growth
While 99designs pioneered crowdsourced design, the landscape of Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses has evolved dramatically. Modern small businesses face challenges that extend beyond single design contests—they need integrated teams that combine design, development, optimization, and emerging technologies like AI.
For businesses with occasional design needs and flexible timelines, contest platforms like Designhill or DesignCrowd offer budget-friendly alternatives to 99designs. For consistent graphic design output, subscription services like ManyPixels provide predictable costs.
However, for small businesses with ambitious growth goals—those led by CMOs driving brand transformation, UX Directors optimizing conversion, Founders building comprehensive systems, Digital Transformation Directors implementing AI, E-commerce Managers maximizing revenue, Product Managers validating features, or Growth Marketing Directors running rapid experiments—the future lies in comprehensive subscription agencies like Passionate Agency that deliver 360° capabilities under one predictable monthly fee.
The question isn’t just “What’s the best 99designs alternative?” but rather “What partner can accelerate our business growth?” For many small businesses, that answer increasingly points toward integrated subscription models that combine senior talent, rapid delivery, unlimited revisions, and comprehensive services spanning design, development, optimization, and AI—capabilities far beyond what any contest platform can offer.
Detailed Service Comparison: Passionate Agency vs. Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses
| Feature | Passionate Agency | 99designs | Designhill | Design Pickle | Fiverr | Upwork |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $5,000-$12,500/month subscription (unlimited requests) | $199-$1,299 per contest + 5% fee | $249-$999 per contest or $399/month unlimited | $649-$1,949/month subscription | Variable + 5.5% fee | $15-$35/hour + 3-5% fee |
| Graphic Design | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Per contest | ✓ Per contest or unlimited | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Per project | ✓ Per project |
| Branding Strategy | ✓ Included | Basic | Basic | Basic | Variable | Variable |
| UI/UX Design | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Per contest | ✓ Per contest | Limited | ✓ Per project | ✓ Per project |
| Motion Graphics | ✓ Unlimited (Grow+) | Limited | Limited | ✓ Premium tier only | ✓ Per project | ✓ Per project |
| Video Production | ✓ Unlimited (Grow+) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Premium tier only | ✓ Per project | ✓ Per project |
| Web Development | ✓ Unlimited (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Per project | ✓ Per project |
| UX Research | ✓ Unlimited (Optimize+) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Limited | ✓ Per project |
| CRO & A/B Testing | ✓ Unlimited (Optimize+) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Limited | ✓ Per project |
| AI Implementation | ✓ Unlimited (Innovate) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Limited | ✓ Per project |
| Automation | ✓ Unlimited (Innovate) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Limited | ✓ Per project |
| Team Experience | Senior only (5+ years, top 0.5%) | Mixed levels | Mixed levels | Mixed levels | Mixed levels | Mixed levels |
| Delivery Speed | 1-3 working days | 7-14 days | 1-10 days | 24-48 hours | Variable | Variable |
| Revisions | Unlimited | Limited by contest | Unlimited in contest | Unlimited | Per agreement | Per agreement |
| Project Management | Dedicated PM included | Self-managed | Self-managed | Limited | Self-managed | Self-managed |
| Brand Consistency | Guaranteed (same team) | Variable (different designers) | Variable | Variable (Graphics plan) | Variable | Variable |
| Scalability | Instant (stack subscriptions) | Run multiple contests | Run multiple contests | Add subscriptions | Hire more freelancers | Hire more freelancers |
| Best For | Businesses needing integrated design, dev, CRO, AI with strategic partnership | One-off projects exploring multiple concepts | Budget-conscious contest or basic design subscription | High-volume graphic design only | Quick, affordable individual tasks | Flexible project-based hiring |
When searching for Top 99designs Alternatives for Small Businesses, the right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and growth stage. However, for businesses seeking a true strategic partner that can handle everything from brand identity to AI implementation under one predictable subscription, comprehensive agencies like Passionate Agency represent the evolution beyond traditional contest platforms and freelance marketplaces.
